To rejuvenate, consider closing your writing shop

Are you dragging when you think about your current writing project, or writing itself? Do you long to regain that old surge and rush of excitement? Maybe, like companies that close temporarily for renovation or universities that close for a holiday break, you need to close your writing shop for some needed rejuvenation.

It’s tough, I know. When we think of closing, even for a little while, a heap of ingenious excuses rear up. Any of these sound familiar?

Featured Member Erin McTigue – Exploring new terrain: Mentoring academic authors across the pond

Erin McTigue is exploring new terrain, recently embarking on a unique adventure in her academic career. After resigning her post as an associate professor at Texas A&M University and Associate Director of Texas A&M’s POWER writing services program, this fall Erin stepped into the position of Associate Professor II at the National Reading Education and Research Center of Norway, within the University of Stavanger. A full-time, flexible position, Erin will split her time between working remotely from her home in Texas and traveling to Norway for a few weeks each quarter.

In addition to conducting her on research and academic writing projects, Erin will present writing workshops, facilitate writing retreats, and work one-on-one with graduate students and junior faculty to help them create their optimal writing practices.

#AcWriChat re-caps on getting organized, writing productivity, finalizing and publishing your work

TAA and Janet Salmons from SAGE Methodspace co-hosted a series of Tweetchats for the exchange of ideas and resources about academic writing and publishing using the hashtag #AcWriChat.

View a recap of the 11/3 Tweet Chat – Get Organized
View a recap of the 11/17 Tweet Chat – Writing Productivity
View a recap of the 12/1 Tweet Chat – Finalizing and Publishing Your Work

NIH issues statement encouraging authors to publish NIH-funded research papers in reputable journals

In a statement released November 3, 2017, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) encouraged authors to publish NIH-funded research papers in reputable journals “to protect the credibility of published research.”

According to the statement: “The NIH has noted an increase in the numbers of papers reported as products of NIH funding which are published in journals or by publishers that do not follow best practices promoted by professional scholarly publishing organizations.”

Academic Writing for Social Good – TAA Webinar 12/4

Academic writers want to disseminate their research for many reasons. Many are motivated by university requirements for certain kinds of publications. Others want to contribute to their fields by communicating with other researchers. Some of us want to communicate with professionals or practitioners, entrepreneurs or activists, makers or inventors who work outside the ivory tower. We hope our findings can be applied to make a difference. How can we use our research and insights in ways that contribute to the social good?

Join us Monday, December 4 from 3-4 p.m. ET for “Academic Writing for Social Good”, where textbook writer Janet Salmons and environmental non-profit leader Lynn Wilson will  share examples and suggestions for socially beneficial ways to think about our publication strategies.

#AcWriChat Tweet Chat: Not on Twitter? Watch live here on 12/1 at 11 am ET

TAA and SAGE Methodspace are co-hosting a series of Tweetchats for the exchange of ideas and resources about academic writing and publishing. Join SAGE Methodspace’s Janet Salmons and TAA’s Eric Schmieder on Twitter Friday, December 1 at 11 a.m. ET using the hashtag #AcWriChat to discuss submitting proposals, or watch here on the TAA Blog on our live Twitter feed. View a recap of the 11/3 Tweet Chat – Get Organized View a recap of the 11/17 Tweet Chat – Writing Productivity